State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya announced on Tuesday that the oath-taking ceremony for the party's new Chief Minister in West Bengal will be held on May 9, following the BJP's decisive victory in the Assembly elections that brings an end to Mamata Banerjee's 15-year tenure in power.
The BJP on Monday scripted history by winning 206 seats to secure more than a two-thirds majority in the West Bengal assembly polls.
Thought it is not clear who will take oath as the chief minister, Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition and a key face of the campaign is among the front-runners.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, former state president Dilip Ghosh, former Union minister Nisith Pramanik, MLA Agnimitra Paul, former Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly, and MLA Shankar Ghosh are among the other contenders.
From a marginal vote share of around four per cent in 2011, the BJP surged to nearly 40 per cent in 2019 and then secured 77 seats in the 2021 Assembly elections, displacing the Left and Congress as the principal challenger to the TMC.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was also defeated in the prestigious Bhabanipur seat by BJP's Suvendu Adhikari, capping a stunning turnaround after initial trends appeared to favour the TMC supremo.
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For the first time since 1972, West Bengal appears set to be governed by a party that is also in power at the Centre -a shift with deep administrative and political implications.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the mandate, saying the "Lotus blooms in West Bengal" and that the party would work to fulfil the aspirations of the people.
At least 20 ministers were defeated, including Bratya Basu, Manas Ranjan Bhunia, Shashi Panja and Chandrima Bhattacharya.
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Meanwhile, Banerjee alleged that the mandate in more than 100 seats was "looted". "We will bounce back," the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said while walking out of the counting centre at the Bhabanipur constituency.
A visibly distraught Banerjee told reporters that the BJP's victory was "immoral".
"They have looted more than 100 seats," she alleged.
Banerjee found an ally in Gandhi, who too alleged that the mandate in Assam and West Bengal was "stolen".
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